In December 2000, the Acts for protecting major IT infrastructures from cyber terrorism was passed. Information protection guideline for IT services was established for raising the awareness of data protection among businessmen. A regulation was added to the "Acts on Promotion of information & Telecommunications Network Use" and was passed to contain the spread of computer viruses. Moreover, the virus alert system was strengthened by establishing a hacking and virus prevention support center. Also, by enhancing the support for Consortium of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CONCERT), the government is planning to strengthen information exchanges for hacking attacks and viruses in cooperation with Asian countries such as Japan and China, and participate actively in the activities of Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST).

• Enhancing Safety and Reliability

The government created a digital signature system in February 2000. It is currently promoting the wider use of digital signatures by establishing supporting policies. Also, for the legislation of an act for promoting the use of digital signature, the government has also prepared a standardization plan by composing a forum on electronic money, where companies and government organizations participate together. In the future, the government will continuously promote the digital signature certification system until it becomes a part of our daily lives. The government will establish an environment that will allow citizens to make transactions with e-money easily without any hassle, and strengthen international cooperation for e-commerce security when transactions are made to other countries. These government plans will coincide with protecting personal information.

• Privacy Protection Policy

Since disclosure of personal information could be misused in cyber crimes such as spam mail,cyber stalking, assault, fraud, the government has consolidated related laws and regulations. In April 2000, government established and executed a guideline on personal information protection to which IT service providers such as Internet service providers and e-commerce companies should comply. And in December 2000, the government set up a dispute mediation organization and an organization taking exclusive change of overseeing the observance of personal information protection, by revising the Acts on Promotion of Information & Telecommunications Network Use, etc. Moreover, the government is also planning a personal information protection policy for the employees and customers of companies, other than IT service users.

In April 2000, the Personal Information Protection Center (PIPC) was established in Korea Information Security Agency (KISA), and in June 2000, the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee (PIDMC) was established as a voluntary dispute mediation entity. In order for providers and users to recognize the importance of privacy protection, the government is strictly enforcing violators by monitoring and ordering readjustment to 271 providers in December 2000.

Also in order to enhance citizens’ understanding on privacy infringement, viruses and hacking, the government published the Information Protection Handbook and the Guide book of Personal Information Protection and the Regulation on Investigating Personal Information Violation Cases and Imposing Negligence Fines in June 2000. In order to protect personal information of Internet users, the government is endowing a safe Internet site certificates by evaluating the safety level of the site’s operating system and personal information protection level.